Tuesday, June 28, 2005

Loganberry Singles All Spun!

Ever wondered what the difference is between a roving and the singles yarn it produces? Well, here is one example. At the left you see the original roving with its large chunks of color. This roving has stripes of the colors that run the length of the roving (the Guardians of Lipstick had stripes of colors running crosswise to the length). I could have separated the colors and spun one after another or spun them up separately, or I could have spun the singles separately and then plied them together for a barberpole kind of look. Here I chose to keep all the colors running the length of the roving. You can see in the middle of the picture a little ball of predrafted roving. Predrafting is when you start to pull the roving lengthwise without pulling it apart. It loosens up any fibers that might be compacted or locked together from shipping or dying, it makes drafting at the wheel faster and more manageable, it helps me to spin a more even singles, and it will allow quite a bit of VM (Vegetable Matter for any non spinners - can be "processed" or "unprocessed" by the sheep) to fall out before you spin. On the bobbin (the thing on the right that you can barely see because its so full of singles) you can see what this roving looks like spun into a singles yarn. The colors are all still there, but instead of being large chunks of color, they are tiny dots and heathers. I finished the second bobbin last night so now they will age and then I will ply them together. I just loved spinning this roving despite the moderate amount of VM in it.

5 Comments:

Hi! I found your web site. Although I don't think you were hiding it. I just joined the Mystery Shawl and saw your link there. Thank you so much for all you have done in the Mystery Stole Along, I am having great fun! That is beautiful yarn you spun.:)

I also spin and would love to have any advice you have on spinning singles. I seem to get too much twist....I received some merino roving in beautiful burgundy color and am hoping to spin some singles to make a shawl. Or do you think plying should be done to make the shawl stronger? I love your blog btw!